Booking Travel Archives

How I'm Flying My Family of Six to Japan for Just $33.60 Out-of-Pocket

November 1, 2025 0

We booked flights to Japan for our family of six using just 210,000 miles and $33.60 in taxes and fees. Booking award flights for a larger family requires planning, flexibility, and strategy, but the effort is well worth it. Find out how to earn the points, find the flights, and learn some of the best tips for large family award travel.

Jenna Hansen

The Ultimate Guide to Companion Fares, Companion Passes & Companion Tickets

October 31, 2025 86

Companion fares are among the most sought-after benefits an airline or credit card offers. These fares allow an individual to travel with a companion at little to no extra cost. In this post, we’ll give you a bird’s-eye view of several companion fare options, helping you determine which are worth earning and which you may not fit your goals.

Brie Bash & Max Prosperi

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

Positioning Flights Explained: Save Miles and Money on Your Next Award Trip

October 31, 2025 2

If you are looking to level up your award-booking skills, you will need to look beyond your closest airport, with positioning flights. This post will give you everything you need to know about positioning flights and how you can use them to find incredible deals.

Brie Bash

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

Best Points and Miles to Fly Between New York and London — Cross the Pond From 6k Points

October 27, 2025 36

New York to London is the busiest long-haul international route in the world. There are seven carriers that connect these two cities, so it can be challenging to know how to book a good value award flight. Read more to learn the best ways to book any of the wide variety of potential flights using points and miles.

Ross Denkin & Harrison Pierce

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

How To Book Lufthansa First Class Using Miles, Plus Current Routes

October 14, 2025 5

Booking yourself into a swanky Lufthansa first-class seat using points and miles is an aspiration for many in the points and miles hobby. Part of that may come from the fact that it's not the easiest award ticket to get. Here's how to book Lufthansa first class using miles, plus which routes are currently operating first class products.

Ajay Jain & Ryan Smith

Reviewed by JT Genter

United Adds 4 New European Routes for Summer 2026 — and Award Seats Are Already Available

October 14, 2025 0

United recently announced four new European destination to its route map with seasonal service beginning next summer. Here are the new routes plus award availability and the cheapest ways to book awards to these unique locations.

Cameron Laufer

Ghosts, Ghouls, and Points: The 9 Best Haunted Hotels You Can Book With Points

October 13, 2025 28

Halloween is nearly upon us, and all the spooky feels are in the air. And what’s better than spending your All Hallow’s Eve at a haunted hotel? Doing it with points, of course! Here's a list of nine haunted hotels you can book with points.

Brie Bash & Toni Southam

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

How To Claim a Free Hotel or City Tour With the Turkish Airlines Stopover and TourIstanbul Programs

October 13, 2025 7

The Turkish Airlines stopover program offers a free hotel for up to three nights or a complimentary "TourIstanbul" excursion on shorter layovers. The stopover and layover programs have several caveats, which you'll want to know about before making a reservation. Here are all the freebies you can take advantage of during your next connection through Istanbul.

Skye Class

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

Credit Card Hotel Collections That Offer Elite-Like Benefits Without Needing Elite Status

October 11, 2025 39

If you want the benefits of elite status within a hotel program but don't happen to have that status, leveraging luxury hotel programs could deliver just what you're looking for. Upgrades, complimentary breakfast, and late checkout are just a few of the perks you'll be eligible for with the right program.

Ashley Onadele & Ben Nickel-D'Andrea

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

How to Book a Free Stopover in Iceland With Icelandair

October 5, 2025 2

Stopovers provide an easy and affordable way to explore a new destination. If Iceland has been on your bucket list for a long time, then you're in luck. Icelandair offers a free stopover for up to 21 nights, giving you plenty of time to explore Iceland. Here's everything you know about booking an Icelandair stopover.

Harrison Pierce

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

5 Best Ways to Book American Airlines Awards Using Partner Miles — Starting at Just 4,500 Miles

October 5, 2025 3

American Airlines offers travelers an extensive route network within and beyond the United States. AAdvantage® miles can be a great way to book American Airlines flights, but booking via partner programs can sometimes be even cheaper. Knowing which partner program to use, and when, helps you get the most out of your points and miles. Here are the options, starting at just 4,500 miles.

Ross Denkin & Harrison Pierce

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

How to Visit the Dolomites (2026 Winter Olympics Host Site) Using Points and Miles

October 2, 2025 1

The Dolomites in Italy are a beautiful landscape -- and the home to the 2026 Winter Olympics. Whether you want to go to the games or just visit these beautiful mountains to hike or ski, we outline how you can use points and miles to save on flights and hotels.

Cameron Laufer

Reviewed by JT Genter

Travel Portals vs. Booking Direct: When It’s Worth It (and When It’s Not)

September 28, 2025 0

Booking travel through a credit card travel portal allows you to unlock statement credits, bonus points, and other benefits. However, in some cases, booking through a portal could cost more or add restrictions to your booking. Here's how to know when to book using a travel portal.

Harrison Pierce

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

Best Airline Sweet Spots for Families: How To Stretch Points When Booking 3+ Seats

September 22, 2025 2

Are you tired of hearing about points deals just to find out that it only applies to solo travelers or couples? This guide shows families how to find sweet spots with multiple airlines. From availability for 4+ passengers to companion passes and kids' discounts, we'll show you the realistic options you have for booking family travel using points.

Jenna Hansen

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

9 Top Category 1 Hyatt Properties You Can Book From Just 3,500 Points

September 19, 2025 1

The lowest tier in the World of Hyatt program offers great value for your points, helping you stretch your points balance further. Some of the hotels provide for fully functional stays, but others, specially abroad, can be relatively fancy. Here are some of the best Category 1 Hyatt properties.

Ben Nickel-D'Andrea

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

Unlock Big Travel From Small Balances: A Guide to Combining Points Across Programs

September 18, 2025 110

Holding points across a range of rewards programs allows you take advantage of award availability as it appears and also means you’re not locked into one program that doesn't have any seats available to the destination you want to visit. This article looks at which programs provide the best options for consolidating your points and miles to "add up" to your next great redemption.

Jenna Hansen & Jess Farley

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

How I've Used My Delta Stays Credit for Stays in the Maldives the Past Two Years

September 17, 2025 0

If you have a Delta credit card, chances are you have a yearly Delta Stays credit as a card benefit. These credits were added in February 2024 as part of Amex's revamp of its Delta card portfolio. Here's how I've used my Delta Stays credit in the Maldives each of the past two years.

JT Genter

The Best Ways to Earn and Redeem Points and Miles for Walt Disney World Hotels and Tickets

September 11, 2025 0

Walt Disney World vacations are expensive, especially when you're trying to stay on Disney property. Here's how to maximize your earnings on Disney tickets and hotels, plus how to redeem points to slash your out-of-pocket costs.

Carissa Rawson

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

American Airlines Basic Economy Explained: Restrictions, Fees & What to Expect

September 7, 2025 42

American Airlines Basic Economy tickets have some restrictions. From no seat selection to limited change flexibility. This guide goes over everything you need to know about these fares. That way, you can decide whether the cost savings are worth it, plus tell you how to circumvent some of the restrictions.

Tyler Glatt & Sam Helmy

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

The Complete Guide to United Basic Economy: Rules, Fees, and How to Make It Bearable

September 4, 2025 1

For the instances when you just need to book a seat from A to B, United's basic economy option is usually available at a compelling price point. But one thing is for sure: United basic economy is "basic" for a reason. Here's everything you need to know about United Airlines basic economy and how to navigate all the restrictions on this fare.

Tyler Glatt

Reviewed by JT Genter

How To Use Rewards at Hotels With No Rewards Program

September 3, 2025 47

In theory, redeeming hotel points for an upcoming stay is straightforward. But what if there aren't any hotels at your destination that participate in rewards programs — can you still pay with points? Let us teach you how to pay for lodging with points when you "can't pay with points" at that hotel.

Ryan Smith & Ben Nickel-D'Andrea

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

JetBlue’s Hidden Award Gems: Great Redemptions on Partner Airlines — Including Qatar Qsuite, JAL Biz & More

September 1, 2025 0

JetBlue partners with international carriers including Qatar Airways, TAP Air Portugal, Etihad, and Japan Airlines— letting you redeem TrueBlue points for award flights on these airlines. We’ve compiled award charts for all partners to help you understand how many TrueBlue points you’ll need to book one of these awards.

Cameron Laufer

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

I Flew Lufthansa’s New Allegris Business Class on Points — Here’s the Catch With Seat Selection

August 29, 2025 1

If you’re going to splurge on business class using points and miles, you’d probably assume you can pick your seat for free, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case with Lufthansa. So, if you happen to spot a Lufthansa Allegris business class award through a partner loyalty program or even through Miles & More, here’s something important to know before you book.

Tyler Glatt

Traveling to Universal Epic Universe? Here Are the Best Hotels Nearby Bookable With Points

August 21, 2025 2

Epic Universe made quite a splash earlier this summer when it was unveiled to the world. If you want to check out the newest major theme park in the U.S., you have several hotel options — from those offering valuable perks for visitors to those bookable for as few as 12,000 points per night! In this post, we explore all available options, brand by brand.

Mark Jackson

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

Travel Portals Price Comparison: Citi Travel Portal Shines, Bilt Stumbles in AwardWallet Analysis

August 19, 2025 2

Almost every credit card issuer has a travel portal. To push you to use it, they tie travel credits to their cards or offer bonus points to make it seem like a deal. We compared hotel rates across five major portals with booking direct, and the results show some can save you money while others cost more.

Tyler Glatt

Reviewed by JT Genter

Delta Selling Unbundled Travel Experiences for Travel Starting in October — Here’s What This Means for You

August 13, 2025 0

Delta's new unbundled fare structure (which it's calling "Travel Experiences") is now live for flights departing on or after October 1, 2025. With 11 different options to choose from, it can easily become overwhelming. Here's everything to know about the new fare structure, and how to know which one is best for your next trip.

Harrison Pierce

Seat Selection on Southwest Is Now Live — Here’s What It Costs and How to Save On Seats

August 4, 2025 0

Southwest Airlines has begun charging for seat selection, for flights beginning January 27, 2026. We detail how much seats cost, how to avoid the fees, and how to make a booking. Plus, what questions still remain to be unanswered?

Cameron Laufer

The 8 Best Business Class Sweet Spots for Award Flights to Europe — Starting at 29k Points!

August 3, 2025 57

If you're looking for a comfortable flight, there are numerous ways to get between North America and Europe in business class. In this post, we've rounded up eight of the best ways to fly to Europe in business class with points and miles, starting at just 29k points each way!

Tyler Glatt & Cameron Laufer

Reviewed by JT Genter

The Reserve by Citi Travel Is Here — These Are the Benefits You’ll Get on Each Booking

August 2, 2025 2

Citi’s new Reserve by Citi Travel offers luxury hotel bookings with elite-like perks such as early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast for two, room upgrades, and property credits. Here’s how to take advantage of this new benefit when booking through Citi Travel.

Ben Nickel-D'Andrea

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

Layover vs. Stopover: What’s the Difference — and Why It Matters for Award Travel

July 30, 2025 2

The words "layover" and "stopover" are often used interchangeably. However, they mean different things. Layovers are shorter and always free. Stopovers are longer, and only certain airlines offer them for free. This guide explains the differences and which airlines allow you to add a free stopover to your award bookings.

Jenna Hansen

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

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